Case Study:
Summer School Literacy and Professional Learning
The HILL partnered with the Massachusetts DESE to provide 45 hours of comprehensive professional development to approximately 86 educators across four sites through the Summer School Literacy and Professional Learning Grant in Summer 2024.

Summer School

January 14, 2026

About the Schools/Districts

In 2024, SSLPL was held across 4 school sites in Massachusetts (Brockton, Randolph, Somerville, and Southbridge).  

Over 4-weeks, we trained 86 teachers and impacted 497 students through this project.

Goals of the Project

  • Train educators to implement evidence-based reading instruction
  • Train teachers to use the HILL Foundational Skills Lesson Plans
  • Build capacity to use data to drive student instructional groups
  • Provide intensive daily coaching to support teachers

Project Timeline

2019
Summer Institute for Literacy Leadership

The Summer Institute for Literacy Leadership (SILL), a precursor to SSLPL, took place in Somerville Public Schools in partnership with HILL For Literacy, MA DESE, Crafting Minds, and the Grimes Institute.

2023
SSLPL Year 1

The first year of the SSLPL initiative took place in Brockton Public Schools in partnership with MA DESE, HILL For Literacy, and Crafting Minds.

2024
SSLPL Year 2

The second year of the SSLPL initiative in 4 school districts (Brockton, Randolph, Somerville, and Southbridge) in partnership with MA DESE, HILL For Literacy, and Crafting Minds.

HILL Services Used

  • Science of Reading Professional Learning Series
  • Small Group Instruction Training
  • Data-based decision-making
  • Embedded coaching and support

Results Highlights

Brockton

Rising first graders’ scores on most DIBELS subtests increased significantly. These results suggest that students’ foundational reading skills improved through the program.

Somerville

For rising 3rd graders, growth in Oral Reading Fluency Word Correct scores was both meaningful and statistically significant. This a strong predictor of reading comprehension.

Project Stats Across All Years

Summers

School Sites

Teachers Trained

Students Impacted

Download the White Papers

Brockton
2024

Randolph
2024

Somerville
2024

Southbridge
2024

Brockton
2023

SILL
2019

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